TAMPA What drives someone to sleep in a tent outside an electronics store for two days?
You could say "bargains," but you'd be only half right. The people camped outside the Best Buy store on North Dale Mabry Highway said they were celebrating Thanksgiving in a fun, if non-traditional, way.
"It's a family tradition," said Shawn Jones, 30, who was camped there for the sixth straight year, awaiting the Black Friday sales. "You come out here, you save thousands of dollars on Christmas gifts."
"Plus, it's fun camping," added 19-year-old Javier Granda, who was in line for a third year.
Alex Parra, 30, said the wait can be a hardship, but it's worth it. Leafing through a Best Buy advertisement, he pointed out a Sony laptop on sale for $399. Parra said the computer ordinarily sells for hundreds of dollars more.
Mike Urso, 46, said he saved $3,800 last year on Christmas gifts. He planned to buy several laptops, a 46-inch television, a stereo and several $8 cell phones that come with 130 minutes of calling time.
The men say they their families often relieve them so they can go home, shower and get some rest. They use the bathroom at nearby fast food joints or gas stations. On Thanksgiving afternoon, families bring food and organize football and cork ball games in the parking lot. A shopping center security guard drives by regularly, so they feel safe.
"You get to have a little family thing here since you can't be with all your family on Thanksgiving," Urso said.
Jones said the store will start handing out tickets for purchases at 3 a.m. to stop people from buying up items and reselling them. The doors open at 5 a.m.
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